NEW YORK — Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez said he would likely retire if next season was entirely lost to the NFL labor dispute. Gonzalez remains confident there will be a season this fall. But if not, one of the game’s all-time great tight ends would likely walk away.

"Would I sit out a whole season and come back — probably not, honestly," Gonzalez, 35, told Sporting News. “At this point, at my age, I don’t know if that would be smart of me to do something like that. But I’m enjoying the offseason, working out and preparing like I always do."

Atalanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez said he would consider retiring if the season was lost to the NFL lockout. (AP Photo)

Gonzalez was in Manhattan on Wednesday to promote "Keep Your Grip Challenge," an online video game sponsored by Vaseline MEN. Gonzalez believes a labor settlement will happen in late summer.

"I think it might cut into camp," Gonzalez said of the labor dispute. “Into the season, I doubt it. Who knows though? Hopefully we can get these issues resolved. The arguments from the owners’ perspective are a little outrageous to me. It’s the No. 1 game in the world. I think there are so many ways you could structure a deal. Maybe there are too many chiefs, not enough Indians. Maybe we should get one or two representatives from each side to hammer it out. But between the owners and the players, that’s a lot of different opinions and that’s why the process is going so slow. That’s why I don’t think it’s going to be resolved anytime soon. But I just don’t see an entire season being taken away. That would be sad. Not just for the players and the owners, but the fans."

Gonzalez said he still has an empty feeling about losing to the Packers in the playoffs, despite the Falcons finishing with the best regular-season record in the NFC.

“I’ve been on good teams before," said Gonzalez. “I’d rather win nine games, go to the playoffs, and win the Super Bowl. That’s a great season. That’s the pinnacle. But Aaron Rodgers was on fire, especially against us. He was just too much."